First Coast Connect

10 stories to watch in 2026


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We kick off our first show of the new year with a look ahead. Veteran metro reporter David Bauerlein shares his reporter's notebook, offering a glimpse at the local stories he’ll be tracking in 2026. The year will bring big choices about where to build a new city jail and where the Jags will play when they're forced out by stadium construction -- a bit of irony for the finally-winning team that Bauerlein calls "almost peak Jaguars." We also discuss growing activity on the political pitch, as Republicans begin to determine who will challenge Mayor Donna Deegan in the 2027 city elections.

Guest: David Bauerlein, metro reporter at the Florida Times-Union

Then, an art exhibit inspired by the visionary Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí and a near-death experience. Cuban-American artist and physician Edel Alvarez Galban, also known as AGalban, suffered a heart attack while visiting Gaudí’s inspired temple in Barcelona, Spain — the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. While recuperating, he created a visual homage to Gaudí, widely considered one of the most creative and fanciful architects of the late 19th and early 20st centuries. The result, Sacred Pilgrimage, Gaudí and Galban, is on display at the St. Augustine Art Association through Feb. 1.

Guests:

  • Jennifer Flynt, executive director of the St. Augustine Art Association
  • Tarin Mohajeri, curator of Sacred Pilgrimage: Gaudi and Galban

And, the now 13-4 Jacksonville Jaguars are on an eight-game winning streak, securing the AFC South division title. We recap Sunday’s blowout win against the Titans and preview the challenges ahead as they face off against the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round of the playoffs Jan. 11 at Everbank Stadium.

Guest: Alessandra Pontbriand, sportscaster at News4Jax

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